Tag Archives: Fire Hazard

Additional Reports of Fires and Low Consumer Response Rate Prompt Reannouncement of Goldstar and Comfort-Aire Dehumidifier Recall

August 10, 2010 By in Consumer Alert, Consumer Safety, CPSC News, CPSC Recalls, Fire Hazard, Home Safety, LinkedIn, News, Public Safety, Safety Tags: , , , , ,

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today reannounced a voluntary recall of the following consumer products. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

Name of Product: Portable Dehumidifiers

Units: About 98,000 (previously recalled in December 2009)

Manufacturer: LG Electronics Tianjin Appliance Co., of China

Hazard: The power connector for the dehumidifier’s compressor can short circuit, posing fire and burn hazards to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: LG has received four additional reports of fires involving the recalled dehumidifiers, including one that resulted in significant damage to a home. No injuries have been reported.

Description: This recall involves 30-pint portable dehumidifiers sold under the brand names in the chart below. The dehumidifiers are white with a red shut-off button, controls for fan speed and humidity control and a front-loading water bucket. “Goldstar” or “Comfort-Aire” is printed on the front. The model and serial numbers are printed on the interior of the dehumidifiers and can be viewed after the water bucket is removed.

Brand Model No. Serial Number Range Sold at
Goldstar GHD30Y7 611TAxx00001~08400
611TAxx08401~40600
612TAxx00001~20400
612TAxx21001~30600		 Home Depot
Goldstar DH305Y7 612TAxx00001~00600
701TAxx00001~16800
702TAxx00001~03000		 Walmart
Comfort-Aire BHD-301-C 611TA000001~001697
612TA000001~004200
701TA000001~000578
710TA000001~000599		 Heat Controller Inc.

Sold at: The Home Depot, Walmart and Heat Controller Inc. nationwide from January 2007 through June 2008 for between $140 and $150.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled dehumidifier, contact LG to determine if it is included in the recall and return it to an authorized LG service center for a free repair.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact LG toll-free at (877) 220-0479 between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. CT Monday through Friday and between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. CT on Saturday for the location of an authorized LG service center for the repair, or visit the firm’s website at www.30pintdehumidifierrecall.com

Recalled Goldstar dehumidifier Recalled Goldstar dehumidifier
Goldstar Goldstar


Recalled Comfort-Aire dehumidifier

Comfort-Aire

CPSC is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about it by visiting https://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/incident.aspx

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products under the agency’s jurisdiction. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard. The CPSC’s work to ensure the safety of consumer products – such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals – contributed significantly to the decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC’s Hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC’s teletypewriter at (301) 595-7054. To join a CPSC e-mail subscription list, please go to https://www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx. Consumers can obtain recall and general safety information by logging on to CPSC’s Web site at www.cpsc.gov.

1.7 Million Maytag Recalls Dishwashers Due to Fire Hazard

June 3, 2010 By in Consumer Alert, Consumer Safety, CPSC News, CPSC Recalls, Fire Hazard, Fire Prevention, Home Safety, LinkedIn, News, Personal Safety Tags: , , , 1 Comment

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

Name of Product: Dishwashers

Units: About 1.7 million in the United States

Manufacturer: Maytag Corp. of Newton, Iowa or Maytag Corp. of Benton Harbor, Mich.

Hazard: An electrical failure in the dishwasher’s heating element can pose a serious fire hazard.

Incidents/Injuries: Maytag has received 12 reports of dishwasher heating element failures that resulted in fires and dishwasher damage, including one report of extensive kitchen damage from a fire. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The recall includes Maytag®, Amana®, Jenn-Air®, Admiral®, Magic Chef®, Performa by Maytag® and Crosley® brand dishwashers with plastic tubs and certain serial numbers. The affected dishwashers were manufactured with black, bisque, white, silver and stainless steel front panels. The brand name is printed on the front of the dishwasher. The model and serial numbers are printed on a label located inside the plastic tub on a tag near the left side of the door opening. Serial numbers will start or end with one of the following sequences.

SERIAL number STARTING with OR SERIAL number ENDING with
NW39, NW40, NW41, NW42, NW43, NW44, NW45, NW46, NW47, NW48, NW49, NW50, NW51, NW52, NY01, NY02, NY03, NY04, NY05, NY06, NY07, NY08, NY09, NY10, NY11, NY12, NY13, NY14, NY15, NY16, NY17, NY18, NY19 JC, JE, JG, JJ, JL, JN, JP, JR, JT, JV, JX, LA, LC, LE, LG, LJ, LL, LN, LP, LR, LT, LV, LX, NA, NC, NE, NG, NJ, NL, NN, NP, NR

Sold at: Department and appliance stores and by homebuilders nationwide from February 2006 through April 2010 for between $250 and $900.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled dishwashers, disconnect the electric supply by shutting off the fuse or circuit breaker controlling it, inform all users of the dishwasher about the risk of fire and contact Maytag to verify if their dishwasher is included in the recall. If the dishwasher is included in the recall, consumers can either schedule a free in-home repair or receive a rebate following the purchase of certain new Maytag brand stainless-steel tub dishwashers. The rebate is $150 if the consumer purchases new dishwasher models MDB7759, MDB7609 or MDBH979; or $250 if the consumer purchases new dishwasher models MDB8959, MDB8859, MDB7809 or MDB7709. Consumers should not return the recalled dishwashers to the retailer where purchased as retailers are not prepared to take the units back.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Maytag at (800) 544-5513 anytime, or visit the firm’s website at www.repair.maytag.com

Picture of recalled dishwashers

Picture showing location of model number

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CPSC is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about it by visiting https://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/incident.aspx

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products under the agency’s jurisdiction. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard. The CPSC’s work to ensure the safety of consumer products – such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals – contributed significantly to the decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC’s Hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC’s teletypewriter at (301) 595-7054. To join a CPSC e-mail subscription list, please go to https://www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx. Consumers can obtain recall and general safety information by logging on to CPSC’s Web site at www.cpsc.gov.

Low Return Rate and Additional Reports of Fires Prompt Re-announcement of Coby Electronics Portable DVD/CD/MP3 Player Recalls

April 27, 2010 By in CPSC News, CPSC Recalls, Fire Hazard, Home Safety, Jack Benton, LinkedIn, News, Personal Safety Tags: , , , , ,

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following products. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Rechargeable Batteries sold with Portable DVD/CD/MP3 Players

Units: About 32,600; 13,000 previously recalled in October 2008 and 19,600 in October 2009

Importer: Coby Electronics Corp., of Lake Success, N.Y.

Hazard: The rechargeable batteries can overheat, posing a fire hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: Coby Electronics has received 22 reports of the battery overheating. Eighteen additional incidents of the battery overheating in the TF-DVD 1020 model, 17 of which resulted in property damage ranging from minor up to $9,650. No additional incidents have been reported for the TF-DVD 8501 model.

Description: The recall involves Coby DVD/CD/MP3 players with product numbers TF-DVD 1020 and TF-DVD 8501. “Coby” is printed on the front cover and the product number is on the bottom of the unit. The serial numbers on the recalled rechargeable batteries are printed on a label on the following batteries:

Product Number Serial Number Description
TF-DVD 1020 DG240043D503000001-1006 Swivel screen
DG240006D503000001-400
DG240039D603000001-3000
DG240111D603000001-2000
DG240143D602000001-3000
DG240106D602000001-2000
DG240106D702000001-2000
DG240183D942000001-100
DG240071DB02000001-1400
DG240115D702000001-2500
TF-DVD 8501 Begin with “HY” 8 ½ inch screen

Sold at: Discount, electronics, music, toy, office supply stores and distributors of electronic products nationwide. The TF-DVD 1020 units were sold from May 2007 through July 2008 for about $168.The TF-DVD 8501 units were sold from January 2007 through September 2009 for between $140 and $275.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the players with the recalled batteries and contact the firm to arrange for a free replacement battery. After removing the recalled batteries from the unit, consumers can continue to use it with the AC or DC power adapter.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Coby Electronics toll-free at (866) 945-2629 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s Web site at www.cobyusa.com

Picture of TF-DVD 1020 Portable DVD/CD/MP3 Player
TF-DVD 1020

TF-DVD1020 battery pack with white sticker and serial number


Picture of Recalled TF-DVD 8501 Portable DVD/CD/MP3 Player Picture of Serial Number on Recalled TF-DVD 8501 Portable DVD/CD/MP3 Player Battery

Picture of Recalled TF-DVD 8501 Portable DVD/CD/MP3 Player with Battery
TF-DVD 8501

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CPSC is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about it by visiting https://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/incident.aspx

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products under the agency’s jurisdiction. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard. The CPSC’s work to ensure the safety of consumer products – such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals – contributed significantly to the decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC’s Hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC’s teletypewriter at (301) 595-7054. To join a CPSC e-mail subscription list, please go to https://www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx. Consumers can obtain recall and general safety information by logging on to CPSC’s Web site at www.cpsc.gov.

Dust fire fourth since 2003 at Woode-Mode, Inc. plant in Kreamer, Pa

April 14, 2010 By in Combustible Dust, Fire Hazard, LinkedIn, News, OSHA Inspection, OSHA Investigation, OSHA News, Safety Management, Workplace Safety Tags: , , , , , 1 Comment

Tuesday’s fiery explosion in a Wood-Mode Inc. sawdust silo is the fourth in seven years, a record that jibes with national research suggesting that combustible dust is a serious industrial hazard.

According to an October 2009 report issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, there have been nearly 280 dust fires and explosions at industrial sites across the nation over the past 25 years. Those accidents have caused 130 fatalities and about 780 injuries.

None of the recent fires at Wood-Mode has resulted in injuries or deaths.

In January 2007, the plant was evacuated when an explosion occurred on a roof of one of the buildings when a spark ignited in blower system that collects sawdust.

Two months earlier, in November 2006, smoke was detected in a sawdust silo and prompted the plant to be closed for a day.

In June 2003, fire broke out in a sawdust mill and again caused a temporary closing of the plant.

Kenneth Walter, the Wood-Mode employee whose vehicle was crushed Tuesday by a lid that was blown off a silo, said he and other plant workers had just been talking about those past incidents on Monday.

“We were saying that it had been a while since there was a fire,” he said, shaking his head.

Mark Stelmack, area director of the Wilkes-Barre office of Occupational Safety and Health Administration, said he was informed of the Wood-Mode fire by the media and would investigate.

Companies are not required to report an incident unless a fatality occurs or three or more people are hospitalized as a result, Stelmack said.

While OSHA has visited Wood-Mode, Stelmack said he’s not aware of any accident investigations at the facility. An online database of OSHA records shows only two recent inspections at Wood-Mode.

There are no specific standards on combustible dust hazards, but he said OSHA does have certain requirements for employee protection.

OSHA has scheduled its latest informal stakeholder meetings to continue soliciting comments and suggestions for protecting workers from combustible dust hazards in the workplace. Since 1980, more than 130 workers have been killed and more than 780 injured in combustible dust explosions.

OSHA is holding a public hearing intended to develop a plan to better manage the dangers posed by industrial combustible dust later this month in Chicago. It is the third in a series of meetings prompted a Feb. 7, 2008, catastrophic explosion at the Imperial Sugar Co. plan in Port Wentworth, Ga., that killed 14 workers and led to $8.8 million in penalties. Combustible dusts are solids ground into fine particles, fibers, chips, chunks or flakes that can cause a fire or explosion when suspended in air under certain conditions. Types of dusts include metal (aluminum and magnesium), wood, plastic or rubber, coal, flour, sugar and paper, among others.

BSH Home Appliances Corp. Expands Recall of Thermador® Built-In Ovens Due to Fire Hazard

January 22, 2010 By in Consumer Alert, Consumer Safety, Home Safety, LinkedIn, News Tags: , ,

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following products. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Thermador® Built-In Ovens

Units: About 37,000 (42,000 built-in ovens were previously recalled in June 2007)

Manufacturer: BSH Home Appliances Corp., of Huntington Beach, Calif.

Hazard: The ovens can have gaps in the insulation where overheating can occur and when used in the self-cleaning mode it can cause nearby cabinets to catch fire. This poses a fire hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: BSH Home Appliances has received three additional reports of incidents, including two that resulted in fires that damaged surrounding cabinets. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The recall involves Thermador Brand built-in double ovens with model numbers C272B, C302B, SEC272, SEC302, SECD272 and SECD302 and serial numbers between FD8403 through FD8701. Model and serial numbers are located on the underside of the control panel.

Sold at: Appliance and specialty stores nationwide from June 2004 through July 2007 for between $3,000 and $4,400.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the oven’s self-cleaning mode and contact the firm to schedule an inspection and free repair, if necessary.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Thermador at (800) 701-5230 24 hours/day, 7 days/week, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.thermador.com

Picture of Recalled Built-In Oven

C272 and C302


Picture of Recalled Built-In Oven

SEC,SECD 272 and 302


Picture of Model and Serial Number Location on Recalled Built-In Oven

Model and Serial Number Location

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CPSC is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about it by visiting https://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/incident.aspx

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products under the agency’s jurisdiction. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard. The CPSC’s work to ensure the safety of consumer products – such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals – contributed significantly to the decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC’s Hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC’s teletypewriter at (301) 595-7054. To join a CPSC e-mail subscription list, please go to https://www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx. Consumers can obtain recall and general safety information by logging on to CPSC’s Web site at www.cpsc.gov.

Exit Access, Fire, & Crushing Hazards Add Up to $233K Fine for NY Retailer

January 20, 2010 By in Fire Prevention, LinkedIn, NFPA, OSHA FINES, OSHA Inspection, OSHA News, OSHA Violations, Workplace Safety Tags: , , , , ,

OSHA has cited Home Goods, a national chain that sells bedding, furniture, and housewares, for 16 alleged violations of workplace safety standards. The retailer faces a total of $233,500 in proposed fines, chiefly for exit access, fire, and crushing hazards at its Commack, N.Y., store.

Responding to an employee complaint, OSHA found exit routes obstructed by stock and equipment, an exit route too narrow for passage, stacked material that prevented employees from identifying the nearest exit, blocked access to fire extinguishers, workers not trained in fire extinguisher use, and boxes stored in unstable 8-foot high tiers.

OSHA had cited Home Goods in 2006 and 2007 for similar conditions at the company’s Mount Olive, N.J., and Somers, N.Y., locations. As a result of these recurring conditions, OSHA issued the company five repeat citations, with $200,000 in proposed fines, for the hazards at the Commack store.

“It’s been 99 years since the fire at The Triangle Shirtwaist Co. in New York City took the lives of nearly 150 workers and almost 19 years since two workers were killed when they were unable to exit the McCrory’s store in Huntington Station, N.Y., during a fire,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Dr. David Michaels. “Blocked fire exits can be deadly. It is that simple.”

OSHA’s Commack inspection identified additional hazards, including a defective fire alarm box, a missing exit sign, electrical hazards, and inadequate chemical hazard communication. These conditions resulted in nine serious citations, with $32,500 in fines. OSHA issues serious citations when death or serious physical harm is likely to result from hazards about which the employer knew or should have known. Finally, the store was issued one other-than-serious citation, with a $1,000 fine, for not providing injury and illness logs.

“There can be no delay in exiting a workplace during a fire or other emergency when the difference between escape and injury or death can be measured in seconds,” said Michaels. “Employers must ensure that exit routes are unobstructed at all locations.”

“One means of preventing recurring hazards is for employers to establish an effective comprehensive workplace safety and health program through which involve their employees in proactively evaluating, identifying and eliminating hazards,” said Robert Kulick, OSHA’s regional administrator in New York.

A fact sheet covering emergency exit routes is available at www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_General_Facts/emergency-exit-routes-factsheet.pdf.

Home Goods has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, meet with OSHA, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. The inspection was conducted by OSHA’s Long Island Area Office in Westbury, N.Y.